where did the first time homebirthers thread go?? Well we were close to being full up so here's a new thread complete with stats and my long awaited story (sorry about that)
DUE
MrsArchchancellorRidcully, due 16 November, DC2
Tortoiseonthehalfshell, due 26 November, DC2;
usingapseudonym, due 2 Dec, DC2
redheadbedhead, due 23 Jan 2012 DC1
Boobz, due March 2012, DC3
ARRIVED
SelinaDoula, Baby boy Finn arrived 5 days overdue Aug 3, quick homebirth but transfer due to tear.
JenniL, Baby girl Elise Olivia arrived 28 Aug, crash section due to placental abruption.
KtisPG, Baby boy Edwin James arrived very overdue on 10 Sept, fab hospital waterbirth.
Nannyl, Baby girl born 14 Sept, amazing hypnobirth at home.
MissTriangle, Baby girl Eva born 19 Sept, long labour with transfer to hospital for C-section.
KellyKettle, Baby girl born 15 October, lovely home waterbirth.
Elgoldenflower, Baby boy Lincoln born 3 Nov, c-section but well looked after.
Collieandpup, Baby boy Isaac born 21 Nov, lovely homebirth.
GirlWithTheMouseyHair, baby girl Maggie Juliet arrived 25th November, speedy and intense homebirth
HoneyLovesCake, baby boy arrived 6th December, transferred for ventouse
MrsArch? Tortoise? pseudonym?!!!!!!
Birth Story for Maggie Juliet - be warned, long and detailed despite quick birth!
I was due on 24th Nov, went for a midwife appointment on 23rd with my usual midwife, Juliet, and she gave me a sweep (cheekily because she wanted to deliver this baby if poss after delivering DS 3 years ago, and she was away the following week!). That evening I lost a fair amount of mucus (not sure if it was a plug or not!) and the strong Braxton Hicks I'd been having for months added in a layer of mild pain. My best friend was over that evening and convinced I was in labour but I was pretty sure it was BH, and anyway they were irregular and didn't last very long. All died down overnight.
Next morning (24th) we took DS to the park and the long walk and standing around kicked off painful BH again, which again died down when we got home and I rested. That afternoon (24hours after the sweep) I told midwife it hadn't worked so we arranged for her to do another one in a few days. A friend came round to see us so I walked the 10mins to the bus stop to collect him in the hope of setting off the BH again - which worked! By about 7pm DH ahd made dinner for our friend and his girlfriend and the BH had got a bit more painful and were starting to last longer and be more regular. Convinced it wasn't labour but DH said if it was, we needed to get DS sorted so we called Juliet. She measured me at 8pm and confirmed I was in early labour and was 3cm dilated. She went home to get into something more comfy, we called my mum to come and get DS - friend and his girlfriend hastily disappeared!!
Had a lovely hour with DS watching The Princess Bride and playing until my mum arrived to take him back to hers, then we called Juliet again once they'd gone as the contractions seemed to be getting more intense, though not longer. She and Laura, the second midwife, arrived about 10pm. It was Laura's first job since qualifying and also her first ever homebirth and seeing as we were expecting a quick second stage at least, she was there from the start.
We all bedded down in the living room, soft lights, clary sage oil burning, Black Box Recorder playing, just chatting and telling jokes. Gradually it became harder for me to focus on everone else and by 11:30pm it felt like labour had really got going. DH was constantly massaging me throughout, which again was the best pain relief. I completely forgot I could have gas and air and needed to be reminded twice, then finally got it at about 12:30. Focussing on the outbreath really helped and getting into comfortable positions between contractions as once a contraction started it intensified very quickly and I couldn't move during them except to sway. If I remembered to relax my shoulders and bum and let the ground take my weight, it also made the contractios easier to bear. I was having 5in10 at this point, they were really intense and really painful, much more than I remembered them being with DS.
We'd all expected it to be quick and I was waiting for the feeling like I wanted to empty my bowells and at 1am thought I'd had that feeling and was ready to push. Inco pads were quickly spread under me, DH got into a position we'd discussed previously and for half an hour I struggled to push. I felt like I was having to make the effort to push, compared to DS' birth when I had no control and had to just let me body go with it. The contractions never seemed to get strong enough or last long enough so eventually Juliet said she wanted to examine me as it was odd the way it was progressing. When she said I was only 5cm part of me was relieved as the "pushing" hadn't felt right, relieved there wasn't something wrong for me to transfer in for, but of course I was devastated that it'd taken me 5hours to progress just 2cm; looking back I should have made the comparison with DS' birth where similarly the beginning stage was fairly slow and steady, but I just plummetted in my morale and convinced myself it would be daylight before I gave birth - from then on I found it a lot harder to cope with, which goes to show what power the mind has! The gas and air wasn't particularly effective as it lost my concentration on the outbreath which was the only thing helping me keep it together.
The contractions would build very suddenly then gradually tail off. I tried having a shower which was lovely but my mind was overwhelmingly down and I eventually got out thinking if I just lay down for a bit I'd rest and be able to cope, I went very into myself and retreated into the bedroom. DH kept reassuring me, reminding me all the reasons I didn't want to go to hospital, all the reasons I didn't want an epidural. Lying down slowed the contractions down but also made them much harder to bear so eventually I got up and joined the midwives back in the sitting room - I was just so tired and so demoralised, I kept telling them I wouldn't last the night and would have to transfer for more pain relief. Their quiet confidence in me felt gently supportive, there was no pressure in any direction, just the reminder to take each contraction as it came and I did cope better having the physical support and presence of Juliet, Laura and Paul.
At 2:50ish I announced I needed a poo and didn't care what they all thought - everyone gently told me to do whatever I needed to do, all of us convinced I couldn't be much more than 6cm now. The the utter overwhelming opening up happened as had done with DS and I cried out that it was happening, the baby was coming. Everyone I think then rushed to get into places where they could see, monitor etc but it was all a blur of excruciating pain and power sweeping through me - the same uncontrollable pushing with DS but SO much bigger and more intense. Maggie's head was born as my waters broke and she gave a little cry (very odd feeling!) and I just about managed to listen to Juliet and not push so she could turn the shoulders, but I have never known pain like waiting for those few seconds!
The rest of the her body was born (2nd stage lasted 4mins) and I literally grabbed her out of Juliet's hands - so different to DS who I was so terrified of holding I went into shock! DH maneouvered around me and the 3 of us sat there cuddling for 25mins, Juliet taking amazing photos, just absolute love filling the whole room - and a little shock from all of us that she was there!
I eventually had a managed third stage, my body just couldn't do any more, and the ensuing few hours were so relaxed and joyful - we were all running off each others' adrenaline I think! Maggie fed immediately, then I got showered and was looked after by the midwives, who also cleaned everything up, got Maggie weighed and nappied up. Then the 3 of us retired to our bed, Juliet and Laura left at about 6am.
On paper it was exactly the same as my labour with DS, just a hell of a lot quicker, and I do feel rotten for having lost faith in myself and my body when I'd been doing so well up til then and coping ok despite it being more intense. But the aftermath especially was just so incredible - it was in fact an amazing experience yet again, and I'm so so so so glad I chose to homebirth again.
Maggie's middle name is after Juliet, who delivered DS as well, who has been incredible over the last 3.5years - I can't get over the brilliant service I've had from her and her team on the NHS, I don't think I could have had better support had I paid for it!